Millions of people use traditional dentures to help them eat a variety of foods and smile with confidence. While these prosthetics are certainly useful, they do have their drawbacks. In fact, research indicates that wearing them may negatively affect a person’s ability to take in adequate nutrition. This blog post explores why that is the case and why dental implants may present a viable solution.
Nutrition Before and After Dentures
A study from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Dentistry looked at data from 10,000 patients with the goal of understanding how dentures can impact nutrition. The researchers compared a range of nutrition markers from two years before the patients got dentures to their nutrition markers two years after getting dentures.
The researchers found that patients experienced a significant decline in nutritional markers after patients got dentures. Although most of their data points were still within the normal range, it is reasonable to think that with prolonged denture wear, those markers could continue to worsen.
Why Do Dentures Affect Nutrition?
There are a couple of ways in which dentures in Watertown may affect nutrition:
- Chewing force. Wearing a complete denture can reduce an individual’s chewing force to 20 – 25% of what it was when they could make full use of their natural teeth. Therefore, denture wearers are unable to chew as thoroughly as they did in the past. They may swallow larger chunks of food, which can interfere with the digestive tract’s ability to process and extract nutrition from it.
- Dietary changes. Eating many foods is challenging with dentures, so some people may make changes to their diet. For example, rather than regularly snacking on crisp raw veggies and fruits, they may stick to eating mostly soft foods. They may therefore take in lower levels of important nutrients.
Finding a Solution
If you wear dentures, you might be able to ensure you take in adequate nutrients simply by changing what you eat. For example, certain supplements and enriched meal replacement shakes could go a long way toward providing your body what it needs to function well.
For many patients, though, a better solution is available. If you are worried about the disadvantages of your traditional denture, ask your dentist about dental implants in Watertown. Because dental implants act as prosthetic tooth roots, they can anchor a denture firmly in place. In fact, an implant denture can provide a bite strength that is up to 90% of what is normal with natural teeth. The treatment process can take several months, but it is well worth it in the end.
Dentures have the potential to adversely affect your nutrition. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs.
Meet the Practice
The talented dental experts at All Dental are proud to provide both traditional dentures and dental implant services. If you are experiencing any oral health issues that may be hindering your ability to benefit from a balanced diet, they would be pleased to serve you. Contact our office at 617-207-0947.